Sidelines

Why Tennessee will upset LSU for SEC title

Tennessee isn't the best football team in the SEC. The Vols were drubbed by 39 points, 59-20, at Florida. They were smacked around 41-17 at Alabama. They lost to a California team that needs a win over Stanford to avoid a break-even season.

And yet, Tennessee will upset LSU on Saturday in Atlanta to win the SEC Championship Game.

Here's why: The Vols are focused. The Vols are motivated. A solid underdog, Phil Fulmer's team is eager to show it deserves to be in Atlanta, that it wasn't simply the lucky benefactor of a wacky year.

And it has the necessary tools to get the job done. Though he's not Jamal Lewis, Arian Foster is a tough enough back to give the overrated LSU defense some trouble. Quarterback Erik Ainge can definitely give the Tiger secondary fits. Ainge doesn't get sacked. He aids good protection by getting rid of the ball quickly. Look what Andre Woodson did to the Tigers back in October on a day when the UK quarterback didn't get sacked. Given time to throw, Ainge can find receivers.

Plus, LSU isn't focused. Les Miles is thinking about Michigan. Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini is thinking about Nebraska. The Tigers are thinking about the BCS title game they should still be going to if not the overtime losses to Kentucky and Arkansas. That's why Miles has spent part of this week arguing that if West Virginia and Missouri both lose Saturday, LSU should be in the title game, that the Tigers two losses shouldn't matter.

Saturday, the Tigers will receive their third. They won't take Tennessee seriously, just as they didn't take Arkansas seriously the day after Thanksgiving. The Razorbacks made them pay. So will the Vols.

To finish this improbable SEC season, the Georgia Dome will produce the most improbable outcome of all: Tennessee as conference champs.

Billy D: "I don't want us to go back . . ."

How is Billy Donovan doing with his young Gators? Well, they are young. They have beaten the bad teams on their schedule, including Stetson on Tuesday night. They have lost to the best team on their schedule thus far, Florida State, 65-51 last Friday in Gainesville.

Did I mention they were young? But that doesn't mean Donovan thinks he has to start all over again. Here are some interesting comments from the coach in the Florida Times-Union after last night's game:

"Michael Jordan had a great comment when talking about winning six NBA championships. When you get a taste (of the top), the last place you want to go is the the place you started. I don't want us to go back to where we started.

"This program is not like North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas or UCLA, where it's been like this for 60 years. It's pretty fresh and clear in my mind what it was like in '96 and '97. They have no clue. In their mind, I think that they think I'm going to sprinkle stardust all over them and just win. It doesn't work like that. They've got to learn what goes into this whole process."

By the way, former UK recruit Jai Lucas has started all seven games. Averaging 27.7 minutes per game, Lucas has 16 assists and 11 turnovers thus far. He's averaging 9.3 points, hitting 44.9 percent of his shots. He's five of 13 from behind the line. While Lucas is considered a point guard, another freshman, Nick Calathes, leads the Gators in assists with 39.

With a 6-1 record, Florida plays Vermont tonight in Tampa.

Who inherited the tougher spot: Brooks or Gillispie?

R.B. e-mails with a great question.

Which coach inherited a worst situation, Coach Brooks or Coach Gillispie?

The case for Brooks taking over the tougher spot: Though he inherited a team that just went 7-5, the Cats were headed toward a probationary punishment that included considerable scholarship restrictions. Brooks wasn't a particularly popular choice following a popular coach who had just given Kentucky only its second seven-win grid season since 1984. On the plus side, Brooks did inherit quarterback Jared Lorenzen and speed receiver/return specialist Derrick Abney. On the down side, two of the biggest stars on that '02 team, running back Artose Pinner and punter Glenn Pakulak, had graduated.

The case for Gillispie being in a tougher spot: Billy G. inherited a squad easily eliminated by Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament the year before. Its starting center, Randolph Morris, opted out a year early for the pros. Gillispie did follow a coach whose performance, especially the last couple of years, had divided the fan base. On the plus side, Gilllispie took over the winningest program in college basketball, one that has won seven national titles. Its one that owns a rabid fan base and a glittering new $30 million practice facility. On the down side, he inherited a roster with little front-court presence. Now, two of his better players, Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper, are injured.

I'd still say Brooks inherited the tougher spot just because you're not only talking about Kentucky football, you're talking about Kentucky football on probation.

What do you think?

Audio: Andy Katz on UK-North Carolina

Caught up with ESPN's Andy Katz, who was at last night's North Carolina-Ohio State game in Columbus. Asked how the Tar Heels looked up close and personal, what Kentucky's chances might be on Saturday, and has there been a surprise team on the national scene so far this year.

You can read Andy at espn.com.

Here's the interview with Andy, just before he was getting his hair cut (3:26): Download andy_katz_2007_11_29.wav

Now we know why UK wanted no part of UMass

As if we didn't before, we know now why Kentucky opted out of its scheduled game with UMass this year.

Though Kentucky had a contract to return the home game the Minutemen played at Rupp last year, and though UMass is coached by ex-Cat guard Travis Ford, he of the '93 Final Four team, Kentucky decided it would rather buy its way out of keeping its word.

Good thing, too.

UMass knocked off Syracuse last night. At Syracuse. By the score of 107-100. It's the most points ever scored by a Syracuse opponent in the 27-year history of the Carrier Dome. Syracuse led 70-58 early in the second half before Ford's team stormed back for the victory.

Last year, UMass beat Louisville at Freedom Hall. Now, the Minutemen have a win over the 'Cuse in the Carrier Dome.

Links:

• Score a big one for the Minutemen. [Boston.com]
• Syracuse came out on top in every category but the final score. [Daily Collegian]
• Orange crushed. [The Republican]
• Embarrassed! Orange lose to Minutemen. [Syracusefan.com]
• Syracuse defense takes the night off. [Syracuse Post-Standard]

Bilas on Cats and Vols

Jay Bilas was a guest on the ESPNU College Basketball Insider podcast on Wednesday. The network's best analyst had some interesting things to say about Kentucky and Tennessee:

Bilas on Kentucky: "(Kentucky) is more than slow out of the gate right now. They scored four points the first 10 minutes last night against Stony Brook. They're having a tough adjustment to Billy Gillispie's system and they're going to have to figure it out because he ain't going anywhere."

Bilas on Tennessee after the Vols loss to Texas: "I don't think any differently of them this year than I did last year. I think they're really hard to play against. I think when they are offensively efficient, they're going to be really hard to beat. I don't think the way they played against North Carolina A&T (taking 50 three-pointers) is representative of how they're going to play against the best teams in the country.

"One thing, when you play as uptempo as they do, when you press and have as many possessions in a game, sometimes you don't value a possession like you should. And that's going to be the challenge for Bruce Pearl, to get his team to play as hard as they want to play, to get the tempo they want and still make good decisions, to still value possessions. They played like they had 100 dollars in their pockets last night, instead of playing like they had five, and had to make smart decisions with their money.

"I still think they're a Top 10 caliber team. They need to figure it out. They're growing into being a great team and a national contender all the time. And that's something they're going to have to figure out, because they're a hunted team now. They're not sneaking up on anybody anymore."

Scouting report: North Carolina

Impressions of the Tar Heels after watching North Carolina's 66-55 win at Ohio State on Wednesday night:

• Wayne Ellington (6-4, So., Wynewood, PA): A smooth shooter with an impressive form. Scored 23 points in win over Buckeyes. Made eight of 15 shots, including four of seven three-pointers. Banked in one three-pointer with 12:24 left which produced a sheepish Ellington smile. Also grabbed eight rebounds. Is making over 50 percent of his shots on the season. Carolina's top three-point shooter with 16 made out of 32.

• Bobby Frasor (6-3, Jr., Blue Island, IL): Started at the point with Ty Lawson benched by a sprained ankle. Frasor didn't make a shot, missing all five of his three-point attempts, but he contributed three assists and turned the ball over just once in 29 minutes. If pressed into play Saturday, should benefit from game last night.

• Marcus Ginyard (6-5, Jr., Alexandria, VA): A tweener who often finds holes in the defense. Ginyard grabbed five offensive rebounds against Ohio State. Finished with nine points and eight boards on the night. Scored seven of his nine points in the second half.

• Danny Green (6-6, Jr., North Babylon, NY): Though he had a good all-around floor game against Buckeyes. Can be a streaky player, and only made two of nine shots against OSU. But Green had seven points, five rebounds and an impressive four assists. Has not started a game, but averages around 20 minutes per game off the bench.

• Tyler Hansbrough (6-9, Jr., Poplar Bluff, MO): An old-fashioned banger who craves contact. Hansbrough sometimes appears awkward and unathletic inside, but his drive and competitiveness are nearly unequaled. He had 13 points and 11 rebounds last night. Took 19 shots. Made six. Grabbed five offensive rebounds. A staple at the foul line. Has shot 62 free throws in six games. Was hitting 81 percent from the line before Ohio State game, in which he was 1-of-4 from the line. Missed his last three.

• Ty Lawson (5-11, So., Clinton, MD): Rolled his ankle two minutes into UNC's win over BYU out in Las Vegas and did not play against Ohio State. Went through warm-ups, but Roy Williams made game-time decision to sit his point guard. Dick Vitale said near game's end that he would bet that Lawson is on the floor Saturday at Rupp. A lightning-quick guard who had 23 assists in first five games.
• Lawson told Andy Katz, "I'm definitely playing Saturday."

• Alex Stepheson (6-9, So., Los Angeles, CA): Played 21 minutes without scoring on Wednesday. Did grab seven rebounds, six on the defensive end. Blocked three shots. Averaging right around seven rebounds a game.

• Quentin Thomas (6-3, Sr., Oakland, CA): A disappointment after a heralded high school career. Played 12 minutes on Wednesday, filling in as Frasor's backup with Lawson on the bench.

• Deon Thompson (6-8, So., Torrance, CA): A starter who scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds in win over Ohio State. Did turn the ball over three times, but made seven of his 12 shots. Not an outside threat.

Links

• Carolina's defense makes the difference. [Raleigh News & Observer]
• Tar Heels prove they can win without Lawson. [Andy Katz]
• Carolina knocks off Ohio State. [Cleveland Plain-Dealer]
• Buckeyes go cold in loss to Carolina. [Columbus Dispatch]
• This time, no major proclamations can be made. [Bobby Hunter]
• Heels struggle to hit high gear without Lawson. [Charlotte Observer]

Get a sneak peak at North Carolina tonight

Want a scouting report on North Carolina before Saturday's Cats-Heels clash at Rupp?

You can do it yourself tonight.

As part of the annual ACC-drubs-the-Big-10 challenge, North Carolina play Ohio State at 9 on ESPN. It should be entertaining, though I doubt it will reach the level of last year's UNC-OSU game at the Dean Dome in which, even without an injured Greg Oden, the Buckeyes played their shorts off before losing to Roy's boys in the end.

Here are some links for pre-game research:

• North Carolina realizes it needs more than offense to win title. [Seth Davis]
• With Ty Lawson questionable, Bobby Frasor may get his shot. [Raleigh News and Observer]
• Tyler Hansbrough a big worry for Ohio State. [AP]
• Frasor preps for return to starter status. [Burlington Times-News]
• Ohio States presents Heels' first road test. [Inside Carolina]
• Carolina's defense is better than it looks. [Basketball Prospectus]

How Billy G. handled A.J.

It was an odd post-game scene last night after UK's 62-52 win over Stony Brook. A.J. Stewart, the freshman from Jacksonville who started Saturday against Texas Southern, never saw the floor. When asked why not, UK coach Billy Gillispie informed the media that Stewart would be out later to explain what happened.

And Stewart did appear, saying he was held out for disciplinary reasons. When reporters ran out of questions, and with other UK players coming into the interview area, Stewart tried to leave. But he was brought back and assigned one of the director's chairs UK uses for the players to sit in during interviews. During a second round of questions, Stewart revealed that he had fallen asleep, or "nodded off" as he put it, during a team meeting.

Few coaches would have handed the situation this way. Most would have said the matter was "internal," or given the real reason themselves. Instead, Gillispie made the freshman face the music himself. Not only did Stewart not get to play in the game, he had to explain the reason himself.

On the one hand, you could say that Billy G. was making the player accountable for his actions. Chances are, considering the public embarrassment, neither Stewart nor another player will fall asleep in a meeting anytime soon. On the other hand, you could argue that Gilllispie needlessly embarrassed a freshman who made a rookie mistake.

What do you think of how Gillispie handled the situation?

UK's sluggish basketball attendance

There is a national myth about Kentucky basketball. The belief is Kentuckians so love roundball they will fill Rupp Arena to watch their beloved Wildcats play any opponent.

Kentucky fans are much smarter than that.

Yes, UK's basketball attendance is impressive by any standard. The Cats fill Rupp Arena for most games. But put an inferior foe on the floor and empty seats can be found.

Last night was proof. The announced crowd of 19,269 for Kentucky's 62-52 win over Stony Brook was the smallest at Rupp since 18,059 showed up to see UK beat William and Mary on Dec. 22, 2004.

You would think that the excitement of a new coach might automatically fill Rupp's rafters. That hasn't been the case. Kentucky did not sell out its first five home games, though surely Saturday's matchup with top-ranked North Carolina will be a hard ticket to find. You could say that the Gardner-Webb loss has tamped down attendance. But only 19,845 showed up for what became a memorable game. And "only" is a relative term.

Here is UK's attendance for non-conference home games the past four seasons:

Season 2004-05

• 11-20-04   Coppin State            22,231
• 11-23-04   Ball State                 22,231
• 11-26-04   Georgia State           22,368
• 11-30-04   Tenn. Tech               20,076
• 12-8-04     Morehead State        20,652
• 12-22-04    William & Mary        18,059
• 12-29-04    Campbell                 22,411
• 1-9-05       Kansas                    22,782         Average: 21,206

Season 2005-06

• 11-13-05  South Dakota State     20,144
• 11-14-05  Lipscomb                   19,369
• 11-25-05  Liberty                       22,717
• 11-29-05  High Point                  19,980
• 12-3-05    North Carolina            23,860
• 12-17-05   Louisville                  24,432
• 1-3-06      Central Florida           21,329            Average: 21,690

Season 2006-07

• 11-15-06    Miami                      20,444
• 11-17-06    Miss. Valley              22,879
• 11-28-06    Charleston               22,477
• 12-9-06      Indiana                    24,253
• 12-19-06    Santa Clara              21,961
• 12-22-06    UMass                     24,307
• 12-30-06    E. Kentucky             23,528
• 1-3-07        Houston                  22,311          Average:  22,769

Season 2007-08

• 11-6-07      Central Arkansas      20,335
• 11-7-07      Gardner-Webb         19,845
• 11-21-07     Liberty                   21,298
• 11-24-07     Texas Southern       21,445
• 11-27-07     Stony Brook            19,269          Average: 20,438